Interview by Mercedes Arnold

All photos provided courtesy of Nina Devenney

Maine Vibes Magazine: Can you introduce yourself, state your pronouns and tell me about your business and how you got started? 

Nina Devenney: My name is Nina Devenney. My pronouns are she/her/hers and my business is Wild Rosie! How I got started…I think everything about my whole life has been leading up to this. I was raised by potters in the woods of Maine and my dad also worked as a professional photographer. We often went on trips to wild places with him on assignment and it took us all over the country to so many gorgeous natural places and cultivated my deep love of the outdoors. My mom worked with him in the pottery shop and also as a painter and taught art too– Our house was a delightful, colorful, cozy mess! My sister and I got to see them working together and collaborating all the time, which was really cool, and since they worked at a home studio, they were both always accessible to us. I think it’s a big part of why my family is so close… So that's been my own dream for a long time. I knew I wanted to raise my own children in the same way, and I wanted a partner who could thrive working in a creative business– someone I could collaborate with on big things (I found him! His name is Patrick!). I wanted to be able to raise our kids in that environment because it was dreamy growing up that way– I learned SO much and was constantly surrounded by creativity and love. So, here we are! It’s literally a dream come true. We work really, really hard, but we are thankful every day. 

I have a BFA in Studio Arts with a focus on sculpture (where I met my hubby in a welding class). After I graduated, I spent about 10 years teaching art and working with different populations. I taught art to folks with developmental differences for a long time – it was amazing work. I taught little kids, older kids, and teens in both traditional and alternative school settings. I really love working in the community. During my time as an art teacher at Sweet Tree Arts in Hope, I ran a program for adults with developmental differences and typically functioning elementary kids– we made art together and it was so magical. The bonds that formed were so real and genuine. Art can be really powerful like that. 

I know that community will always be a big part of what I'm doing. Though, when COVID hit, I was 10 weeks pregnant and I stopped teaching and knew I needed to figure out how to keep my kiddo safe and how to keep the cash flow going. I wanted to really go for it [start my business]. It was that moment of, well, I guess I'll try it ALL right now! I made the leap into a full-time business owner and new mama after my son was born. My husband, Patrick, joined us full time 7 months ago. It’s been wild! 

“It’s a visual representation of their emotions and experiences.”

MVM: I feel like there is the assumption that buying art is not accessible. It's expensive and there are collectors, so it's a little intimidating. I appreciate you creating Wild Rosie with the idea that you want to make your art accessible.

ND: Thank you! That means a lot to me. Yes, I really want my art to be accessible, to have educational elements, and to be both beautiful and functional; so Wild Rosie was born out of all of that. For several years, I was exclusively doing big paintings and commissions-– I love doing large scale pieces and working closely with clients to make art that is meaningful to them– that will always be a true joy of mine–but my heart also has this really big part of it that wants my work to be accessible and enjoyed by all kinds of people. I want to be making art for everyone.

MVM: Absolutely, and it is so appreciated! So, with Wild Rosie, you started in 2018? 

ND: It was taking seed then. I was also working with different media, doing a lot of those large-scale watercolors and drawings. In 2018, I did an apprenticeship with master metalsmith, Christine Peters, through a grant from The Maine Crafts Association. I’ve worked with so many different media and all that experience seems to flow into all the work I make. One media informs another…It's like a big, magical art cauldron.

MVM: That’s so interesting! I did my research and I found that you named Wild Rosie after your two grandmothers. Can you talk about them and share a little bit about how they influence your passion for the outdoors? 

ND: That’s so nice that you did that! My dad's mom was named Rosie Avellino and she was the daughter of a first-generation immigrant family from Italy. She's the “Rosie” part. The love, tending, and the care that my art requires is inspired by her. My maternal grandmother, Dorothy Jewell, is the “Wild” element. She always had field guides with her about the stars, plants, animals, and migration patterns. The whole family was like that. My uncle, who later became a marine biologist, was always catching butterflies and snakes as a kid and identifying species, my mom had an injured crow for a pet, and my grandpa was always in the garden. It was just their way. Both of my grandmothers were fierce and strong women. They both lived through World War Two and the Great Depression. They were so resourceful. A lot of wisdom… Wild Rosie is paying homage to them and all they held dear.

I love that together Wild Rosie sounds like wild roses, like the ones that grow at the beachside in Maine, the Rosa rugosa. They have always been a favorite flower of mine. That smell and their color are intoxicating!

MVM: That’s beautiful! I love that you also love the wild roses, they remind me of my grandmother as well. Can you tell me about how they continue to inspire your work today? 

ND:  Rosie was a family lady, she took care of everybody. She would go to bed at 7:30 and was up at 3:30 in the morning, cooking or sewing or doing something kind for someone. Family was always at the top of the list for her, which I've always admired. She also had to overcome a lot of adversity. Her husband died early on and her older son died unexpectedly in his 20s. It was her and my dad after that, though there were lots of her own siblings and cousins around. They had a big Italian family and she was devoted to them all. A lot of her strength was shown through that time– the rootedness she had in her family is admirable. And she would always find time to have tea parties with me whenever we visited her and feed me sugary cereal that I wasn’t allowed to have at home, which was obviously the best!

Then my maternal grandmother had a true sense of wonder. She used to get kids outside to stargaze at night and could identify birds and constellations like nobody’s business. She was very passionate about people and the planet, an avid knitter, and a painter and jeweler herself on the side (she worked professionally as a nurse). The love for art runs deep!

MVM: Does their passion carry through to your work? 

ND: Yeah, the love for the outdoors and the sense of wonder is a really big piece. As is Rosie’s devotion to all she loved. 

MVM: You talked about the importance of family. I read that your partner joined you in 2021. Did that shift your work at all?  

ND: It’s made it all possible! After having our kiddo, we both wanted to be in his life as much as we could, and we took the leap. I make the art and Patrick is very much a behind-the-scenes kind of fellow. He's a woodworker, too. He’s currently building our new studio! He gets into the display end of things and keeps an inventory, which is huge because my brain works very differently than that. It’s nice because we each have strengths where the other is still learning to grow. It’s also been great in terms of chatting through ideas, making things happen more quickly, and then being able to spend time as a family. We usually take a hike, go to the ocean or have a campfire, and are outside together every day. 

MVM: That’s so lovely! 

ND: It's really nice! Since I grew up like this, I thought everyone's mom and dad were home all the time, I thought everybody was making art and working together. Now I realize that it is a pretty sacred thing and I feel so privileged to be doing this.

“I really want my art to be accessible, to have educational elements, and to be both beautiful and functional.”

MVM: Definitely, that is such a privilege and so sacred! Creating and making art is a very personal thing and from reading about you and your family and hearing the story behind Wild Rosie, it seems like you create from a place of love and awe for the natural world. Can you talk about your creative process and the emotional side of creating?

ND: Yeah that’s a good one! It is such an emotional experience. I've always processed everything through art and writing. 

MVM: And if it's not, if it's more something else, if there's another aspect, it seems like you really enjoy being outside and taking things from nature. 

ND: It's so both! I was thinking about how art is this little window into someone's world. It’s a visual representation of their emotions and experiences – that's pretty marvelous. I think the emotional piece definitely plays off of the natural piece for me. The wonder and awe that happens when I'm outside or learning about something amazing in nature is something that I want to share so much. I find it really uplifting to be out there. 

That is my creative process; I see something that's interesting or exciting to me and want to share it in a beautiful, accessible way with others. There are moments of joy, like when you see a sunrise and think, wow, how can I give that to someone? How can I give the gift of the joy I’m feeling right now? 

“I know that it's such a privilege to work for yourself and I try to be mindful of that every day.”

MVM:  When do you feel most creative?

ND: I feel most creative when I get my hands on new media and think about how it's asking me to look at the world in a new way. I get really excited when things come together. Lately, I've been hand-dyeing, illustrating and painting, and merging it all. I'm definitely someone that needs to be learning to be creative and getting excited about new art forms and mushing them all together. I also get really creative when things are connecting for me in really cool and unexpected ways. I went through this phase of learning about how the natural world looks like the human body– like how tree branches look like lungs– those kinds of connections that are undeniable really inspire me.

MVM: Yeah, it is so cool. It really does feel like we are connected to the earth in a deep, meaningful way. What do you do when you have blocks of creativity?

ND: They happen for sure…Though, I have been thinking a lot about the importance of The Lull. There are always ideas being planted then and you might not even be aware of it. That’s what happened during my pregnancy. I kept painting but it wasn't inspired, I was just doing my thing. Then, after our son was born it was like an explosion and it was idea after idea after idea. I was having to write them all down like mad and I haven't caught up with myself yet. I do like a good lull even though they're difficult when they are happening, but the stuff that comes after is so interesting and often really rich.

When I’m having a creative block, anything to do with salt water is helpful, going out for a swim on a paddleboard, or a night hike– I love shadows! Field guides help me a lot too– I have one of my grandmother’s antique wildflower field guides where she kept a handwritten list of wildflowers that she saw for years on the back cover… that’s a go-to for me. I also like to spend time with trusted artist friends, talking through those blocks and bouncing ideas around.

MVM: Yeah, I agree with you like the lull is important. Rest is important.

ND:  Rest is huge, it’s hard to do! 

MVM: It really is hard to rest, but so needed! With social media playing a big part in everyone's lives, do you feel any pressure that you need to put yourself out there and create for a platform, or do you set boundaries where you don't?

ND: Yeah, I was a super-duper Late Bloomer to Instagram. I’m a grandma at heart! I did create boundaries– I have a schedule for it, I don't share a ton of my personal life on it, I stick to business stuff, etc. I do know what you mean about the pressure of creating content specifically for it though… you always kind of feel like, “Oh, I need this light to be right!” or “Oh man! I should have posted that earlier…” or (for me, at least) “Am I even doing this right?!”  I think that's just part of the maker deal right now and it can be really helpful and connect you to so many wonderful folks. I have met so many great people through it. I'm also just very aware of the mental toll it can take on folks (myself included!), and I don't want to feed into that at all. I was really resistant to it all at first and had a hard relationship with it to start with– I think a lot of people do, honestly! The boundaries I’ve created have helped me a ton. I think it's good if we can support each other in that way too– in creating boundaries, knowing our true worth and ignoring all the noise and buzz (and sometimes crickets…) that can come with social media. 

MVM: Boundaries are so important, and taking breaks from social media too. It’s a blessing and curse! 

ND:  So much good stuff has happened because of it! 

MVM: Absolutely, it’s nice that you can spread your art with a lot more people than you could without it. 

ND:  I sent Ukraine Peace Towels that I made as a fundraiser for Save the Children out all over the country. I wrote down the list of all the states– they were all over the place! That wouldn't have been possible without social media. 

MVM: Yes! That's a really awesome thing to do, thank you, and they're so beautiful. How has being in Maine, with all our wilderness, and living by the water, played a role in your creativity? 

ND: The community here is a really big piece, especially the Rockland, Mid-Coast area.  The willingness of people to help each other here is amazing. Other makers are so supportive and want you to do well– I think everyone just wants to see each other succeed. We all want to live our dreams and want to see others do it too. That’s been my personal experience, which has been so lovely.

MVM: What about being a woman, an artist, and owning your own business? How does that feel? 

ND: It feels great! I deal mostly with other women in galleries, shops, nature centers, farms, and general stores and it’s always in a very supportive environment. I feel very lucky that my interactions with everyone have been so genuine and have led to so many friendships. Like, I get to make your art AND we get to be friends?! Amazing. 

MVM: That’s great. 

ND: I think being a mom and a business owner is really interesting because I'm learning how to do both at the same time. I have such admiration for women coming into motherhood and going through the process of pregnancy and birth. It’s a massive feat, no matter your experience. A lot of women in Maine are both moms and business owners, which is amazing. Knowing what bosses so many ladies are and how they are running so much of the world and encountering so many challenges along the way and overcoming them… it’s incredible. There is SUCH a learning curve but there are so many strong women in Maine that are doing big things that are willing to help. There are a lot of shoulders to lean on; you're in good company.

MVM: Oh wow, thank you!! I do believe that too! Do you want to give a shout-out to another woman-owned, BIPOC, or LGBTQIA+-owned business?  

ND: Ahh!! There are so many! OK–These three have been huge in the cultivation of my own business:

My amazing mentor and metalsmith teacher, Christine Peters, owns Christine Peters Jewelry. She’s been making jewelry for 25+ years and makes utterly beautiful things! I call her my fairy godmother- she is my confidant, my art and life advice go-to, and honestly a beam of human sunshine. She’s supported me through so many adventures and challenges and has given me incredible support for the last five years. She also supplies me with baked goods and tea whenever we’re together! I couldn’t have hoped for a better mentor.

My fantastic sister! She owns Angie Devenney Photography. She inherited my dad’s photo genius gene! She does all kinds of gorgeous portraits, weddings, food shots, etc. She is a truly wonderful human and takes the prettiest photos ever. Very editorial style, some of them make me cry, even if I don’t know the people. She’s just so amazing at capturing the emotion and love among humans.

And Lauren Beveridge, of Scout + Bean! We met at a Holiday Show in 2019 and ever since, she has given me so much support and wisdom on rocking a small business in Maine while also being a mama. We dream of collaborating and have some secret plans up our sleeves… Very excited to see where they go! I’m just so appreciative of her generosity, her kind support of all the makers out there, and her deep love of the work she does.

MVM: Awesome!! Thank you so much! Is there anything else you want people to know about your or your business? 

ND: I’m thankful! I know that it's such a privilege to work for yourself and I try to be mindful of that every day. I know deeply that not everybody gets this chance and I really wish that were different. I have a truly supportive family and partner and have met some very supportive women along the way who have given me and my business so much. I slowly built up to a place where I was able to take that leap with their help and a whole lot of very hard work. It's scary sometimes, but I want to honor that I am progressing because of the work I put in AND because there is so much love and genuine support amongst Maine Makers. I think that our society challenges women and mothers to be really independent and get things done on our own and hustle all the dang time, but that just leads to exhaustion and sadness! We can't do any of this alone and we need real support from real people. I want to be a part of that movement of encouragement and sincere support for others, so everyone can do well, everyone has a space, and everyone can share their gifts. Because there’s a whole lot of goodness out there. That’s what I’m striving for. 

Links

@christinepetersjewelry

@angiedevphoto

@scoutandbean

Thank you so much to Nina Devenney for sharing your story with MVM. What a gem, I had a wonderful time speaking with you and soaking up the rays of sunshine in Rockland during a beautiful spring day. 

Web: https://www.wildrosiemaine.com

Instagram: @wildrosie.maine